2009 Bear Brook MTB Team Race Report - 5-31-09
Conditions:
The weather was just about perfect with the temperatures in upper 60’s to low 70’s and a mixture of sun and clouds, which made it great in the woods. .
The Course:
The course was a 14 mile lollipop with a 2 mile start section, an 11.5 mile loop, and the same 2 mile start section in reverse to your finish. The Elite men did 3 of the loops for about 37 miles, the Experts and Sports did 2 loops for 25.5 miles and the Novice did one loop for 14 miles.
The terrain was a mix of just about everything that the area had to offer. There were double-track access roads, lots of fresh tight and twisty undulating single-track, some neat bench cut fast single-track with some river and ravine exposure and even some nasty rocky technical up and down. There was even a decayed set of steep stairs made of railroad ties to descend which made a challenge for all. Basically this was an excellent course that had something for everyone and really gave a good overall judgment as to ones MTB ability.
Results:
The NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devonshire Dental team attended the event in droves. We had a number of new racers show up for their first race. It was great to see all of the fresh faces.
This race was an Eastern Fat Tire Association (www.efta.com) sanctioned event so the categories are slightly different than the current USA Cycling categories. EFTA uses Elite, Expert, Sport and Novice as their categories. They also had a dedicated Single-Speed category, a Clydesdale (my old category, where racer must be over 200#) and a Touring Category which also did one lap.
NOTE: The results are listed in order of category/field start and then by place in said field.
- Michael Rowell – Elite Men – 6th
- Keith Reynolds – Expert Senior II Men – 4th
- Greg Brown – Expert Veteran Men – 10th
- Anthony Laskaris – Expert Veteran II Men – 6th
- Michael Good – Expert Veteran II Men – 8th
- Norm Collard – Expert Veteran II Men – (flatted out)
- Cris Rothfuss – Expert Master Women 35+ – 2nd
- Cathy Rowell – Expert Veteran Women 35+ – 5th
- Ryan Begin – Sport Senior II Men – 9th
- John McGrath – Sport Veteran II Men – 7th
- Janet Lorang – Sport Senior Women – 7th
- Ben Pagano – Novice Senior II Men – 1st
- Les Bethel – Novice Master Men – 2nd
- Lexi Cruse – Novice Master Women – 1st
- Kristen Lukach – Open Touring – 3rd
http://www.efta.com/PDF/results/2009/bearbk09-1.htm (Race Results)
Reports:
[Michael Rowell]
I said to myself and everyone else late Saturday evening that there was no way I was going to race Sunday given that I was tired from getting up early, driving and racing on Saturday, not psyched about driving again on Sunday, and not sure I wanted to race 39 miles off-road anyhow. So we get to the race on Sunday AM …
Unloading the bike from the car I backpedaled and the chain skipped. Odd, what is that all about? Turned out to be my upper jockey pulley was seized. Great, so I took it apart and sure enough, the sealed bearing was seized tight. Pull the seals off, flush it, clean it, lube it and get it freed up. Then search for grease (thanks Teri) and put it all back together with lots of time to spare. Meanwhile, Cathy and John M. take the spare bottles to the feed point and set that up, thank you much.
On the line we have a good sized crowd of 15 with some fast guys, no rest for the weary. My initial goal is to hang with the initial surge. We’re off and I’m fighting but hanging, at least for a while. After a couple miles though the legs detonate and the anchor comes out. I find myself at the back with a few others and I settle in behind them and recover and spin yesterday out of my legs as best as possible. After a few miles I’m starting to feel better so pull around. To my surprise they drop off and I move forward. Unfortunately, the damage is done and we slipped far enough back that there is a huge gap. It isn’t until the 2nd lap that I see another person in my field. I manage to close the gap down but have an issue when a tube miraculously wrapped around my rear wheel. Who the heck threw a tube on the trail so I could get snared in it? That’s when I realized it was my tube, from my unzipped bag which had fallen out. My inflation device and multi-tool were long gone. D’Oh!
The final lap I went as fast as possible but a new wave of fatigue was settling into the legs. Easy steady power was fine but hard power, not so much. I managed to move well and was told I was gaining on the place ahead of me, so floored it through the technical and the last section. With a few hundred yards to go I could see the rider ahead of me. I brought him to within 5 seconds or so but he saw me coming and was having none of it.
This was a great course and a really good event. I hadn’t done Bear Brook since 1999 and back then, the terrain wasn’t stellar. The new course was wonderful with a mix of everything for everyone. My only complaints were my lack of legs to be able to fully take advantage of a course that I was well suited for.
LESSONS LEARNED: A hard 20 mile TT isn’t the best pre-race day warm-up for a 39 mile power MTB race.
Make sure the bike is set and working before the race.
If you use a set bag for tolls and junk, make sure it is zipped before the race.
[Keith Reynolds]
Arrived to the festival like atmosphere that road racers are missing. Anthony and Kurt from the Cycle Loft were there with some additional wrenching support along with a post-race cooler of beverages. I geared up while reconnecting with old friends and meeting new team mates. We then went out for a short course inspection, checking the start up to the lap point. The stairs were in fine condition and so was the entire course; the previous 3 days of rain were no where to be found.
We lined up on the start and with the go tore off heading to the single track. I was a little excited because as we doubled back in the grass there was a small gap already. This is either really good or really bad. Feeling fine I kept on it for a while until a small group of 3 joined up. Shortly thereafter there was a guy off the side who was hitting his shoe with a rock. He was trying to un-cleat his Crank Bros pedal which was off his bike. Hey just step on the rock, don’t risk hitting your foot. That might have been the IBC guy who was in the mix with me, but I really didn’t catch a good look because the rock smashing was far too interesting along with the equipment choice.
From there we were hammering. Colin (another IBC) joined up sometime and we traded spots a couple times. During one burmed turn into a hill he really had a bad shift, ha what a roadie! I got away for a little bit until my seat hit me in the ass and tilted back. No not this, not now! I am going back to a two bolt seatpost, like now! Suffering for a mile trying to press it down with my leg I decided it was time to pull over and make the adjustment. There goes spots 1-2-and-3, have at it guys! Here comes Mosher, damn he’s going fast today. As I remounted he was just up and gone, absolutely disappeared right in front of me on a straight away!
The course slowly turns from a road burner into a gentle technical section towards the end. From years past it all looked too familiar; the heart-split rock, a small drop with a secondary line all led up to a
lengthy rocky descent and finally a split log staircase. The stairs are exhilarating.
Time to recover on the flat section and catch up, if possible. I chased but to no avail, still needing some additional seat adjustments. I got to see some others on course and they were really doing a great job. One guy from my field caught up just before the last technical section a few miles from the finish. He was bobbling & panting with all the excitement. This was a huge motivator and I really got going, nice! Next came the long descent and stairs where a number of people walking with their bikes sticking up over their shoulders. I think I did that years ago too! Norm was out there cheering during my final descent of the stairs, bummer about his flats! With all this fun the next couple of miles didn’t feel so hard to put in a big effort. I crossed the line in 4th.
It was great to meet the many new faces and see NEBC as a presence on a fun & dry course. The next EFTA course should be just as much fun in a couple of weeks. I hear the first person to finish race got handed a celebration beer! Not me, but I did get a consolation beer anyhow. Thanks Cycle Loft!
[Greg Brown]
With favorable weather reports and rumors of a fast fun course I was happy to be a last minute entry (Expert 35-41). However I knew my lack of race fitness would keep from troubling the front runners too much. Sure enough we hammered straight off the line and by the time we hit the steep, rooty climb I was patrolling the back of the group. What followed was 24 miles of fantastic trail, mostly single-track. The rock garden was cool, as was the descent of the stairs – hard enough to have to concentrate but not so hard that I couldn’t smile for the cameras… I finished near the back of the group (but not the back) and really enjoyed the ride. Thanks to Anthony and the CycleLoft guys for their wrenching and post-race beers!
[Michael Good]
After something like twelve years of racing MTB’s I still don’t know what exactly my type of race course is. I just seem to like some more than others. But I generally do know what isn’t my type of race course. Unfortunately for me Bear Brook is not my type. Too bad as the course was perfect, I’ve never seen it laid out better or in better condition. The promoter and her trail crew did an amazing job of selecting the trails that would not be affected by any last minute rain. The result was 25 miles of near mudless conditions. For my taste, Bear Brook races tend to be too long and too non-technical. But, boy was it a pleasure to race, does that make any sense?
The race started out with the obligatory drag race to the single track where it quickly sorted itself out and settled down. At some point several miles into the race Anthony came by me and set a hot tempo. So I jumped on his wheel where I stayed for most of the rest of the first lap. I felt some cramping in my side coming on and tried to ride thru it. It may have been Anthony’s solid pace or it could have been the overeating I had done the night before but I couldn’t shake it, I had to slow down and drop off Anthony’s wheel. After a few minutes the cramping settled down and I was able to ride out the second lap mostly alone occasionally passing or lapping a fellow racer. With about six miles to go a competitor that I had dropped earlier reappeared. It made for an interesting finish as we took turns telling each other how bad we felt, all the while ramping up the intensity and speed. We even brought it all the way back to the finish line with Clint taking me by a half a wheel in a crazy, fast, and fun sprint finish. I’m sure we both had smiles on our face as we crossed the line. I know we exchanged a good laugh afterwards.
On another note, I want to say how proud I was all day to be there representing NEBC. I don’t know what the official count was but there must have been fifteen or more of us there. Combined with The CycleLoft being there with three tents, a truck, and a mechanic doing neutral support, it was a great day for our club.
The next race is The Pinnacle. It’s another EFTA sanctioned race. It’s a great race course. It has more climbing than Bear Brook but I don’t think it is that much more technical. So if you came to Bear Brook and enjoyed it you should mark your calendar for June 14th. There’s not much else going on that weekend and it’s only fifteen minutes past Sunapee.
[Cris Rothfuss]
During pre-ride, Cathy, John Mosher and I took a look at the big stair drop from the bottom. We did not ride it. It looked imposing, but John said stick to the left line and it was a piece of cake (or something like that). My first time at it during the race, I launched myself down the right line (despite having aimed for the left line). About half-way down, my thinking went something like this: “Good God! What’s happening!? I’m about to endo off a three-story building! And there’s a crowd at the bottom watching. Bail! Bail! I can’t even bail without causing major wreckage! Ah! Ah! Ah! Whomp! (I arrive at the bottom still on my bike and upright, to a collective sigh of relief from the crowd.) John Mosher is a big fat liar!” Okay, so John is a skinny racer boy. And he did say take the left line. But still…the words “piece of cake” were wildly misapplied.
I raced this 25 mile course in less time than it took me to race the 14 mile Winsted Woods course. How’s that for a whole lot less technical? Unfortunately, this course had just enough technical stuff for me to get schooled by the race winner, Kathy Evans. Kathy designed and practiced on the course (home court advantage!), but more important than that is a more competent technical rider than I am. That became clear when we entered the definitive rock garden and she flitted through it effortlessly as I bounced off everything in sight, and then watched her disappear when the inevitable dismount-inducing bobble occurred. Alas. One zen-like lesson of the day (remembered and put into practice during my second lap) was “clean riding is faster riding, even if it means slowing things down a bit.” I was still happy with my result, and had a great time hanging with the NEBC and CycleLoft crews afterwards.
[Cathy Rowell]
After a big effort at the Waterville Valley TT on Saturday, there wasn’t much “blasting off” for me at Sunday’s MTB race. I was pretty beat in the morning – with two early wake up calls, plus the driving, it made the thought of racing not as pleasurable. But, everyone else was going (and no, I wouldn’t jump off the cliff just because they all were, dad!)...
After last week’s learning about whether to take a pre-ride of the course, my approach to this race was much more mellow. Probably too mellow. My warmup consisted of riding to a place to put our water bottle feed mechanism, and then riding back to the parking lot. Not so great for a 25 mile race, but at least I got to see SOME of the course…
The Expert women went off in the first wave of riders. It didn’t take long for the singlespeeders to start passing us, wreaking havoc – there weren’t many good places to pass on the course (and any time we came to double-track, there was no lapping/lapped traffic, naturally). Any time the course pointed ever-so-slightly in the upward direction, my legs starting screaming “Are you nuts? We just did this yesterday! So, not doing it again!”. Sadly, they won.
With all of the lapping/lapped traffic, and my legs throwing a temper tantrum like a toddler looking for candy in the grocery check-out line, I pretty much decided it was a nice day for a ride in the woods. The trails at Bear Brook were definitely fun (would have been more so without the racing and traffic though) – some technically challenging sections of rocks and roots, some freshly cut singletrack and some recovery sections made for a great variety.
I went into this race tired, and expectations were low. Good thing, cause I finished DFL. Oh – and for those keeping track of my nutrition learnings – 2 bottles, a 50oz CamelBack and Clif Blocks all consumed during the race!
[Ryan Begin]
I pre-rode the course on Friday because I haven’t done that many 25 mile MTB rides and I had to get my bike tuned before race day. Needless to say the course was fast. There were a lot more climbs than I was expecting, but all of them were rideable. The downhills were either fast single track or gnarly rock fields, both made the climbs worth it. The course offered lots of opportunities to pass (or be passed as I would learn). After pre-riding it was pretty clear that I could burn myself out on the first 12.5 miles so I held a pace that I thought I could maintain (road biking helped with this). The bike set-up: I usually run 20-25 psi in my tires and have the full suspension set to take out the medium hits and deal with some pedal bob, I opted for 40psi tire pressure and the suspension to take out the big hits and have little pedal bob. Tire pressure was a bit two high in the front because I was lost traction on soft berm and threw a full speed shoulder check into the ground. Other than the fall and the additional wrist fatigue the set-up worked well. The course was fantastic and well marked, looking forward to doing it again next season. The road riding has definitely helped me maintain a stronger pace and make the 4 minute bursts required for hill climbs.
[John McGrath]
Pretty simple this week…
Great start, puncture within the 1st mile, chased like a dog passing lot of folks and then blew up by going too hard. Settled in and worked on skills (until the rock garden which was difficult). Wasn’t last in my class. Overall great course for the inexperienced MTBer.
[Ben Pagano]
As a newcomer to competitive cycling (only a handful of road races as a Cat5) I never considered racing a mountain bike. With some gentle prodding from Keith I decided that I would ride Bear Brook as a novice senior 2 category. As typically happens to me at the few races I’ve done I roll up with no anxiety, it usually isn’t until I go to registration that the nerves kick in. But after a brief pre-ride of the end of the course including the dreaded “stairs,” and some helpful advice from Keith and Michael, I began to relax and feel comfortable about what was coming.
I found myself near the back of the group as we closed in on the single track, contrary to the advice I had just gotten. As we rolled in to the trail I felt a panic as I saw 4 or 5 of the front guys start to pull away and I was completely blocked with legs to go. As we spilled out onto the first fire road two guys really went and I fought to catch, which I did as we hit the first rooty climb. The second guy bobbled and clipped out but I had given him enough slack that I was able to pick an alternate line around. I was onto the leader who was hammering all out at what seemed and unsustainable pace. After the next rolling climb he pulled aside and I came through. Feeling good, I charged ahead, shifting to the big ring. After what seemed like several minutes I caught myself hitting my redline and backed off. I began to catch a few of the women and had to learn quickly how to pass a rider in a mountain bike race. Honestly, just clearly stating your intention to pass in a polite voice seemed to have the best results and I found most riders to be accommodating. Further on I caught onto the back of the men’s sport groups and passed several riders. For awhile I stayed with a group of three sport riders that we’re keeping a good sustainable pace. In my mind I felt that I should bring it up a bit as I only had a single lap to do and did not need to be as conservative.
As I came through the field and into Carr Ridge trail, I felt that I must certainly have a decent lead on the novice group, and I rode more conservatively through what seemed to be the most technical part of the course. Before I knew it I was heading down the “stairs.” I took the line to the left and held on just like in the pre ride. From there it was a fun and fast mix of single track and fire road back to the finish. Even though I knew I had done well I was still surprised to be the 1st rider at the line. For a first race, this was an extremely positive experience. I’ll definitely be doing more mountain bike races!
[Les Bethel]
This course was more to my liking than two weeks ago at Glocester. It was much faster with reasonably smooth single track and some dirt roads, although there were some rocky sections toward the end, and some ups and downs. I doubted my readiness, having stayed up til 2 AM the night before
at the Relay For Life, and recovering from a cold. But it didn’t seem to matter.
The rag-tag master cat 3’s, clydesdales, etc. lined up on a perfect sunny day, mostly more interested in recreation that racing. One guy in my group, wearing an ill fitting child’s helmet and baggy shorts, sprinted off from the start and was out of sight before we hit the woods. I assumed that I’d
see him again, but I didn’t, not even after the race. I got into a good rhythm, and felt like I was flying, in my slow, old guy sort of way, passing the rear guard from the prior group. But it was too good to be
true. I jumped a small log coming down a dirt road, and landed with my rear wheel on the log, causing a pinch flat. My log jumping technique is still developing, to say the least. I had my tube, pump, etc. in my jersey, so I jumped off and made a quick change. Everyone that I’d passed, and a lot more came by, many offering to help. In retrospect, I should have taken someone up on the offer. I went out too fast after making the change, and then had to slow down to get my heart rate in check. I also had all those people to pass which made it difficult to maintain a good speed. But everyone was really nice about it, and I don’t think it made any difference. I had no sense of where I was on the course. I couldn’t tell if I was 30% done or 80% done. One of these days I’m going to pre-ride. The course became more technical toward the end and my skills always seem to deteriorate. I ran through a couple of small sections that I should have been able to ride. I can never decide the line to take through the rock gardens. Eventually I finished, and looked around for “child’s helmet guy”, who was nowhere to be found. I hoped that he’d DNF’ed or was lost in a bog, but the next day I saw that he’d finished 2 minutes ahead of me.
I’m planning to race Cat 2/sport next time, unless someone talks me out of it.
[Kristen Lukach]
My goals for Bear Brook were pretty simple: a.) Just go out for a ride in the woods, don’t treat this as a race. b.) Get off the bike and walk if a blade of grass so much as looked at me the wrong way. c.) Take zero risks. and d.) Stay out of everyone’s way who was actually racing.
Sunday was my first day back on the bike after breaking a rib two and a half weeks earlier. I begged my way out of the 25 mile race and into the Open Short class and was just happy to be out riding some trails. They lumped me and the rest of the OS class in with the novice men at the start line but I hung way back not wanting any part of the scuffle for the holeshot or the bottleneck heading into the woods. Quickly, the human obstacles proved to be more dangerous than the rocks and roots so I hit the gas and tried to find myself some open space to operate in. The singletrack at Bear Brook is flowey and narrow and nontechnical enough that you can just put your head down and motor. For 14 miles my inner monologue wavered between a self-lecture on the need to ride cautiously and take no risks and something along the lines of “BUT.IT.IS.FUN.TO.GO.FAST! WHEEEE!!”. Fun wins out over safe every time.
When I started catching up to some of the novice men, goals a-c went up in flames like someone has doused them with gasoline and lit a match. I chased a guy in a blue jersey for the better part of five miles, almost catching him on the climbs and then loosing sight of him completely on the downhills. He was hurting pretty bad by the time we got to one of the gravel fire roads and as I passed him he let out a frustrated string of four-lettered words that would make a truck driver blush. All the motivation I needed to get out of dodge as quickly as possible.
Then, I spent a lot of time in the last few miles trying not to become road-kill as the elite and expert men came through on their 2nd lap. This usually took the form of me riding directly off the trail and into the brush where I picked up a variety of forest souvenirs which I had to attempt to untangle from my person while simultaneously keeping an eye on the trail behind for more racers and avoiding crashing myself out. It was comical but fun to watch guys with crazy skills fly by at hyper-speed and then see how long I could hang onto their wheel (less than 1 nano-second, btw). All in all it was a great day for a ride in the woods and I crossed the finish line in one piece, eternally grateful not to have to head out for a second lap. Maybe next year!